A belated Happy Easter to everyone! Hope everyone had a pleasant time with family and friends. If you were expecting something from the Easter Bunny I hope he didn’t disappoint. Jimmy’s daughter Lydia bluntly informed me after church yesterday morning that the reason I didn’t get candy from the Easter Bunny is that I was a grown-up and he doesn’t visit grown-ups…ah, the brutal honesty of children!
On the Great Weight Loss front I’ve lost 7 pounds since March 13th! What’s my secret? Lots of water and rampant illness! The combination of those 2 ingredients have begun my slimming process. Today I awoke feeling like my old self again and I can finally start exercising in earnest. I got my first “you look like you’ve lost weight” comment today and I have to admit that it felt pretty good! š
It is finally spring and I’m starting to get Spring Fever! As is usually the case with these things Easter weekend was cold and blustery and today in Kansas City we awoke to sunny skies, warmth, and a forecast for 71 degrees. Happy Monday! I don’t know about anyone else but I’m profoundly affected by the change of seasons. The beginning of each new season (or at least when it starts to feel like the new season) brings with it the desire to re-evaluate, make some changes, and embrace old familiar seasonal favorites (books, movies, etc. that I associate with the season). I spent the afternoon yesterday watching home shows on HGTV, A&E, and TLC and started getting really excited about indoor and outdoor projects that I’m wanting to accomplish this year. These networks have some great shows. I recommend: Designing for the Sexes, Generation Renovation, New Spaces, Divine Design, Curb Appeal, Moving Up, and Find and Design just to name a few.
I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions but I do like to sit and take a look at the start of each new year to see what I’d like to accomplish that year. Kelly Sue DeConnick had posted at the first of the year about uberlists and, talking my cue from Kelly’s list, I decided that this would be a fun thing to do. The start of spring seemed like a perfect time to see where I was at on the list so I pulled it up on my PC and gave it an honest appraisal. Of 44 things that I originally put on my list I have completed 4 and am in the process of doing 3 others. The majority of the things on the list are fair weather projects and I’m getting excited about the fact that the weather is beginning to cooperate and I can get moving on these. One of the things I like about the uberlist concept is that I feel I can add to it throughout the year or modify things without feeling like I’m cheating. For example, I modified my weight loss goal to reflect what I’m currently doing and actually made the goal harder than what I had intially put down.
To wrap all this up I want to wish everyone a Happy Spring and remind all of you that there is no better time to push forward with life changes, no matter how big or small, than during this time of renewal and growth and new life. Don’t miss opportunities to sit out in the sun or to gaze up at the night sky. Take walks alone, with a cherished pet, or with ones you love. Be still and quiet and listen…there’s no telling what you might hear or how it might affect you. Enjoy this season of change.
Seven pounds is a wonderful start. It always shows up better on thinner guys in the beginning thatn on lugs like me. I’m right at 20 lbs. with a goal of 50 by summer. Water and exercise and attempting to decrease soda. I love Pepsi in the afternoon. I love Coke in the morning. I love Pepsi with pizza. Ilove pizza. Okay enought of that, yes it’s 11:30 a.m. at work and I’ve had a no show and a late arrival. I have watched Nat’l Geographic channel and it’s cool. When you don’t have cable, cable is cool. Am I rambling? Keep up the weight loss. We’ll compare our loose underwear.
Just so long as its clean underwear, please! š
Great start yourself! I’m doing really well with not chugging Mt. Dew. I’ve had a one here and there but have went several days in a row between them. I’m surprised at how easy this drinking water thing is going!
Way to go Tom and Carl! I am proud of both of you.
well, i’m an adult & i still get an easter basket with candy from my mother.
and i’ll never ask her to stop! lol
Congrats on your weight loss! I thought you looked really nice yesterday in your new shirt!! I, too, love spring. I love walking around my yard, now that I have a yard, and seeing my plants come back to life. One of my most favorite smells is that of fresh air. I can’t wait to get home and open up the windows. It’s time to get the winter stink out of the house and flood it with scents of fresh air, mowed lawns, rain, and all the other joys that the season brings. One of my most favorite sounds is when I have the windows of our house open and I can hear all the neighborhood kids playing outside, dogs barking, etc. This gives me ambition that I seldom have during the long winter months.
The kids and I just got back from a three hour walk!!! We are all wore out!! The best swings in town are behind the elementary school, a block from our house. I swang as high as I could go!! It was sooo fun. I love the tickle in my tummy and the rhythmic sound of the squeaking chains!!! Ahhhh….spring!!!
I enjoy swinging as well though I inevitably get dizzy nowadays…getting old stinks!
I can’t wait to get all the windows open as well…fresh air is THE BEST! We had such a great spring and summer last year that I have high expectations for this year.
I am so glad we are not pregnant this year. The seasons are much more enjoyable.
I didn’t get to go outside at lunch as we were so busy at work today! I can’t wait for long spring walks with family!
National Geographic Channel? Come on, Tom, you know you love those “no shows”; gives you a chance to watch the end of all those Disney movies. Or do you just love watching the first 30 minutes of Beauty and the Beast, over, and over, and over?!
I don’t know if I feel deprived at the lack of Easter candy or delighted that I don’t get to (have to) eat it. I am disappointed that I didn’t get any of Mary’s deviled eggs though…
Carl, let me know if you run out of outdoor projects…I’d be happy to share a few from my (unwritten) uberlist that you can work on.
I’m afraid I will run out of cash for outdoor projects before I’ll run out of projects to do! š
Interesting about your love of Spring, Carl. I mean, yeah it’s a cool season. I’ve just always preferred Fall and Winter. Those are the seasons of death, I suppose.
Yikes, what does that say about me?!
I just love the cold weather. What am I doing in Texas? š
I can’t tell you how I loathe watching the first 45 minutes of Nemo everyday. Now it’s Daddy Daycare for 45 minutes. We have Along Came Polly. I never tire of the bathroom scene with Alec Baldwin or the basketball game with hairy man. Today I got to watch Star Trek:TNG the one with “The Crystalline Entity” and Loar and Tasha Yar. (Ask Carl)
It’s Lore, newb, not Loar.
I’ll hold Angela back from beating you down. š
I love Fall and Winter as well. True, hot Summer is the only one I could really do without. I love fall even more than spring as I start to feel that melancholy that comes with that time of year and I really kind of enjoy that feeling. Its just that by the time winter is over I’m ready for being outdoors again and revel in the newness that is spring.
I’ve always been a melancholy kind of guy too. While everyone else complains about fall and winter, my spirits actually lift.